Introductory Info About Budapest, Szeged And Hungary

The Place - The People - The Food - The Lifestyle

Just in case you have stumbled across this website and more importantly are looking for a new destination to set up a holiday home and/or tourist accommodation, and/or just need
information about the Hungarian Lifestyle, let me introduce you to Budapest (the capital of Hungary and tourist centre) and Szeged (known for its university, student life, sunshine and
peacefulness).

Where Is HUNGARY?

Hungary Wiki PageHungary is located in the heart of Central Europe. It is
a landlocked country (no surrounding oceans) that is bordered with Austria (West and North-West), Slovenia and Croatia (South-West), Serbia (South), Romania (South-East, East and a little
of the North-East), Ukraine (North-East) and Slovakia (North).

In 1920 the Treaty Of Trianon Wiki PageTreaty Of Trianon peace
agreement was drawn up to end World War I between the Allies and Hungary. That treaty established Hungary's current landlocked borders whereby 71% of its previous land was given to
Romania, Czechoslovakia and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (formerly Yugoslavia). This meant a loss of 58% of its population and 32% of its ethnic Hungarians.

During World War II Hungary came under the influence of the Soviet Union and four decades of communist dictatorship (1947–1989). Since then Hungary has been a democratic republic, but its
not called the Republic of Hungary anymore. It is simply called Hungary.

Hungary today is more like Great Britain in the 1970s - A very relaxing, quiet, peaceful, almost crimeless, noiseless, family orientated place where locals and strangers respect each
other; making life 'very easy-going' and 'chilled out'.

Where Is BUDAPEST?

Budapest Wiki PageBudapest, located in north Hungary, is the capital
city and largest city in Hungary. With Budapest International Airport 25 minutes away in the south and Szeged 2 Hours 40 Minutes away in the south-east, you could travel from the bottom
of Hungary (Mako, near Szeged) to the top (Esztergom, near Budapest) within 3 Hours. So while Hungary is quite small, it has very accessible cities and towns throughout it. Hence another
reason, as a property owner, student or worker to have a rental/rented property in Budapest.

What Is BUDAPEST LIKE?

Compared to somewhere like Szeged, in south-east Hungary, Budapest has more noise and crime; which is to be expected from any major city in the world. This means it has concentrated
areas of so-called "bad neighbourhoods" (such as District VIII), usually born out of a bad reputation, stigma and/or stereotype, whereby the reality is the total opposite of those bad
reputations.

The truth is: Budapest is a very nice place to live. Yes you can find scam artists, pick pockets and other criminals in certain districts, just like you can in certain boroughs of London,
but the reality is you would probably get ran over by a bus before anything bad happened to you in Budapest and Hungary in general. I have lived in less attractive parts of London for
years with no problems whatsoever.

You will find the city very cosmopolitan, lively and enjoyable with quiet neighbourhoods, park areas and leisure areas mixed within it. On one hand it is a cultural hub with various
festivals, music events and leisure activities to participate in throughout the year while at the same time ideal for walkers, cyclist, runners and dog owners alike; making Budapest
a really nice place to experience and enjoy.

As events/activities are normally hosted in Buda Castle and Park regions on a grand scale, I am sure you will enjoy yourself at the various Beer, Wine and Arts & Crafts festivals for
example. Museums also have various, interest, exhibitions throughout the year; even exhibitions you might not normally be interested in.

If you are living near the Budapest Parliament Building, or anywhere within the city centre, you will find Budapest a very walkable city; but if you live outside of the city, you will
need to rely on public transport. Driving around Budapest is a nightmare. One-way streets all over the place, lack of parking spaces and overall a frustrating environment. If you are in
the wrong lane, which is easy to achieve, other drivers will not give you the space to change lanes. So an up-to-date Sat-Nav is a must.

Where Is SZEGED?

Szeged Wiki PageSzeged, located in south/southeast Hungary, is the fourth
largest city and sunniest city in Hungary with temperatures easily reaching 30 Celsius / 86 Fahrenheit in the middle of summer. It is known as the Sunshine City because of the number of
sunny hours it has per year; hence its popularity with sun-seekers.

Szeged is also described as 'Britain in the 1970s' because of its community spirit, friendliness, safe open spaces, respect for the elderly and old fashioned ways (shopping in the market,
talking to strangers on the bus, helping each other, skating, conoeing, cycling and so on). Being a family orientated place, it is also a great place to bring up children, to study in and
to relax in.

Szeged City is very walkable. It should only take you 30 Minutes to get from one side to the other. And even if your apartment is located just outside the city centre, it should still only
take you 15-20 Minutes to walk into the city centre. It will take longer in the summer though simply because you will be 'taking it easy' as you admire the surroundings, soak up the sunny
atmosphere and visit the various festivals and events.

Szeged sits on the river River Tisza Wiki PageTisza, which is a main river
within Central Europe that flows through Ukraine, Romania, Hungary (Szeged) and Serbia. In 1879 the river flooded many parts of Szeged whereby the majority of the city had to be rebuilt
due to the flood only leaving 265 or so buildings intact. These days Szeged is split into 'old Szeged' and 'new Szeged' where the buildings in 'new Szeged' are generally less than 40
years old.

What About THE PEOPLE?

I am fortunate enough to have a Hungarian wife (then girlfriend) who introduced me to Szeged, Kecskemét and Budapest (and their beer festivals!),
as well as the Hungarian family and language, whereby I have since got to know more about the Hungarian culture and an insight into the different
personalities of the Hungarian people.

Upon reflection (and now four years later) I would say the Hungarians I have met so far, especially the older generation, are very humble,
hospitable, intelligent, family orientated, thoughtful, generous, fun-loving people; just like other nationalities of the world.

The typical Hungarian spends all day wearing a fancy costume and clogs!

As you learn more languages, meet different cultures and visit more countries you get to realise all countries and nationalities have the same
types of people in them - Good, Bad, Happy, Sad, Kind, Passionate, Boring, Lazy, Hard Working, Intelligent, etc. So when meeting Hungarians for
the first time just be yourself and treat them like you would your fellow countrymen; with respect.

What About THE FOOD?

Hungarian FoodHungarian Food and the staple diet are primarily
made up of pasta, vegetables and meat in the form of a soup (known as Goulash, which is like a soup-stew). This is normally accompanied with bread. They also eat fish soup, fruit, pizza,
cakes, chocolates and cheese based snacks and have take-aways, outdoor food bars and supermarkets. So do not worry if you miss certain foods from "back home" as the supermarkets and
take-aways should have something you like.

Although Hungarians use sour cream in many dishes and in sandwiches, to the point they have been stereotyped as "Hungarians eat everything with sour cream", this really depends on the
individual Hungarian. Meaning, many Hungarian families and individuals like to cook meat and pasta dishes with sour cream while others do not. Just the same as not all English people eat
Fish & Chips all the time. Many English people eat Chinese, Italian and Indian food these days.

What About THE WEATHER?

Although the winter weather in Budapest, Szeged and Hungary in general, can easily go past the bitterly cold -10 Celsius, it rarely does. I have stayed in Szeged throughout a whole year,
including a second winter period, whereby the average lowest temperature during those winters months was -2; but felt a lot colder. And on some late nights out I experienced -5 Celsius,
which meant wearing gloves, a scarf, a hat and a heavy weatherproof coat.

The winter weather in Hungary can bite, but nothing the British cannot handle!

In our apartment the radiators did the job perfectly. The heating company and housing association made sure the boiler system within the building
(basement) was constantly on. They also turned up that boiler system to produce more heat during the -1 Celsius, -2 Celsius, etc days and nights;
which meant my apartment was always at room temperature and higher when/if required.

When I was renovating our apartment whereby there were no radiators, no carpets and no double glazing fitted, just cold concrete walls, the
apartment was -10 Celsius on many occasions. Hence why I recommend having radiators, carpets and double glazing fitted; as well as using a 13 Tog
duck feather quilt!

If you come from a cold, wet, windy place such as Nottingham (UK), like I do, the cold, wet, windy Hungarian winter weather should not pose a
problem for you.

What About THE LIFESTYLE?

The officially declared monthly wage in Hungary, for 2018, is currently 137,860 HUF (£394.17) per month for an unskilled worker and 180,600 HUF
(£516.14) for a skilled worker. The average Hungarian in Hungary will either be poor, living on a minimum wage, or be in a good job with good
wages.

The poorer people do not receive Housing Benefit, Unemployment Benefit and so on like in the UK, they have to survive through relatives sending them money from abroad for example. Here
is more information about the Financial/Property MarketsHungarian Lifestyle
in terms of its financial/property markets. The good thing about the Hungarians is that even though they know life can be cruel, harsh and difficult they still remain humble, determined
and loyal throughout it.

For those that can afford: They go swimming, cycling, play snooker, visit the museums and theatres, take walks along the riverside, eat out, drink in bars, dance in nightclubs, hang out
with family/friends and enjoy the sunshine during the summer. All the 'normal things' we do in the UK. Hungary in general is split between a population of young students and the older
generation, with many in the middle (25-50) working abroad to support their families.

Keep in mind that Hungary is no poorer or richer than the next country. Meaning, do not let the above realities put you off from buying a property in Hungary. Budapest, Szeged, Pécs,
Balaton, Kecskemét and so on all have something to offer in terms of lifestyle, sightseeing attractions and/or leisure activities that will keep you and any potential tenants busy.
Hungary is also a place to enjoy relaxation, peace and quiet. Have a good look around this website for more information.